Adjustable Knee Joint Liner Tabs for Minimal Bone Resection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for preparing the surfaces of the tibia and femur for prosthetic knee joints require excessive bone resection to accommodate components, leading to unnecessary tissue loss and potential complications.

Innovation Solution

The use of user-operable height adjustable extension tabs integrated into the joint liner or femoral component, which minimize the spacing needed between the tibia and femur by directly engaging with the resected surfaces, allowing for precise reference plane establishment without additional preparation plates, and incorporating pressure sensors for real-time adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional preparation plates with extension tabs are used to establish reference planes, then the reference plane can be established for balanced prosthetic knee joint, but extra spacing is required between tibia and femur leading to excessive bone resection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereference plane establishmentVSAvoidbone resection

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The joint liner is merged with the extension tabs to form an integrated assembly. The extension tabs are directly formed as part of the joint liner structure, eliminating the need for separate preparation plates. This integration allows the reference plane to be established while minimizing the spacing requirement between tibia and femur components, thereby reducing excessive bone resection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The joint liner serves multiple functions: it provides the articulating surface for the femoral component, establishes the reference plane through its extension tabs, and defines the stability gap. By making the joint liner multi-functional, the invention eliminates the need for separate preparation plates, thus reducing the required spacing and bone resection while maintaining reference plane accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If adjustable extension tabs are incorporated into separate preparation plates, then height adjustment for reference plane establishment is achieved, but device complexity increases requiring additional components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheight adjustmentVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The extension tabs are merged with the joint liner to form a single integrated component. The tabs are directly formed as part of the joint liner structure, eliminating the need for separate preparation plates. This integration maintains the height adjustment capability while significantly reducing device complexity by consolidating multiple components into one.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The joint liner is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: providing the articulating surface, establishing the reference plane through integrated extension tabs, and defining the stability gap. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate adjustable preparation plates, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If standard femoral components are used with L-shaped alignment clamps, then femur reference planes can be defined, but extra spacing is required leading to unnecessary bone removal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefemur reference plane definitionVSAvoidfemur bone resection

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The extension tabs are merged with the joint liner to form an integrated assembly that works with the femoral component. This integration eliminates the need for separate L-shaped alignment clamps and preparation plates, allowing reference plane definition with minimal spacing between components, thereby reducing unnecessary femur bone resection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The joint liner with integrated extension tabs serves as a multi-functional component that establishes both tibia and femur reference planes, defines the stability gap, and provides the articulating surface. This universality eliminates the need for separate alignment clamps, reducing device complexity and minimizing bone resection while maintaining reference plane precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20260000414A1Arrangement and method used in the preparation of bone surfaces of the knee joint for the components of a prosthetic knee joint

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 CABOT JONATHAN PETER

AI summary

An arrangement for minimizing the amount of bone initially required to be resected off surfaces of a knee joint prepared using a plurality of user-operable adjustable extension tabs that define a stability gap derived from gap measurements taken in each of extension, mid-flexion and flexion, wherein the stability gap is commensurate with a reference plane derivable from the arrangement wherein a final bone resection with a corresponding bone surface with the reference plane provides for optimum balanced angular movement between the tibia component and the femoral component of the prosthetic knee joint post-surgery.